Sunday, July 10, 2011

Basil Ice Cream (Jeni's Style)

Basil Ice Cream

I made this Basil Ice Cream at the same time I was making my Backyard Mint Ice Cream. (An extra ice cream canister comes in handy at times like these!) As I mentioned in my last blog, I had a bunch of extra basil that was so fresh and fragrant, it would have been a crime not to use it. For a while now I had wanted to try making a basil flavored ice cream, so I decided to go for it. Jeni's cookbook has a recipe for Sweet Basil and Honeyed Pine Nut Ice Cream (page 76), but all I wanted was plain basil ice cream, so I basically used the same recipe for the Backyard Mint and just substituted fresh basil. Like the mint, the basil leaves had to be ripped into pieces and steeped into the ice cream base overnight (I did the full 12 hours indicated on the recipe), then strained out before finally freezing the base in the ice cream machine and then in the freezer for four more hours. I had about one cup of basil leaves, and I think that just about hit the sweet spot. The ice cream was absolutely phenomenal, if I may say so myself! ;) I liked the Backyard Mint Ice Cream, but I liked the Basil Ice Cream even more! Both batches were completely devoured in five days. I will for sure be making this one again, though maybe not too soon, if I want to watch my waistline!